3-man
 

This is my third year as a ref and I am a class 1 ref now. But my concerns are my first couple of 3-man games. I do not have all the experience that I would like too. I can read all the books I want, but I doubt that pales to game experience. Any advice or info or links anybody could give me, would be appreciated. Thanks Chris

Not sure what "class 1 ref" means, not all of us are from Ohio. ;)

The only way to understand how to work 3 man is to work it. Reading lets you know what is where to stand, but working it is only the way to get a very good feel for it. If I were you I would go to any scrimmage I could and insist on working 3 man whether you get paid or not. At least you will not get to a real game completely cold.

Peace

Take a game board and a lot of questions to your pre-game.

I don't. ;)

I used to take a risk game board with me, but we missed our game once since the risk game took too long :D

Three Man is a pretty radical shift in approach from 2 Man, it takes some time.

Two man requires knowledge of floor responsibility coverage, get a good position and work your area.

The best advise I recieved on three man is this: The two off ball officials have two matchups each in their zone. The on ball official has focus on that single matchup and follows it to the basket if it goes there.

Adding that to my zaone of responsibility helped me a lot.

Know your zones and where you are supposed to be but don't forget to call the game.

I am still relatively new to it. A camp and about a dozen varsity games but it is sooo much more easy. I love it and wish we would do every game w/ 3.

I'll agree with most here that you have to have a good pregame. Communication during the game is even more important with 3 of you out there. Any time you have a whistle, make eye contact with your partners to make sure you are the only one who has anything. But the most important thing about your early 3 person games is to make sure you call your game. A lot of officials, including me, when first learning 3 person were so concerned with coverage areas and position, that they don't call the game.

Basketball Guide Three-Person Mechanics '05-07
on this link
http://www.referee.com/books/catalog.htm

I have read and used this book very good publication. the rest will come naturally

All of my 3-whistle work is in a camp setting...so far. I will say that the hardest part for me was being slow to rotate when at L (I also had a little trouble picking up the rotation when at T but soon got pass that).

The one piece of advice at my first camp this year on being slow to rotate was "If the ball goes to the other side of the floor, close down quickly and count 1 second. If it hasn't come back to you side...MOVE." Using that as a guide helped a lot. Remember, just because it works for me doesn't make it the best approach.

Another thing said to us at camp repeatedly..."Even though a lot of people here know you missed a rotation...at a game there are usually only 3 that know it was missed...maybe not even 3" :)

Call the game and ask a lot of questions. That is what I did. If I can get the hang of it anyone can.

Pay attention early in the game to understand what the defense and offense are trying to do. An offense with a lot of motion and a zone defense may require less rotations than an offense that wants to go inside and a man-to-man defense.
Once you get comfortable with knowing where your primary and secondary areas of coverage are as well as picking up the rotations, it still boils down to getting good/open looks and calling the game. Hopefully, some good partners - with a good pregame - will help you relax and do the best you can.

It seems that way when you're first learning it. But it might help to realize that 3-whistle officiating is basically 2-whistle officating with some help. You have a Lead official and an official on the opposite side of the court, just like 2-whistle; but you also have a Trail to help with rebounding, traveling in the post, etc.

The Lead has to go ballside, just like in 2-whistle. And when that happens, the other officials shift their areas of responsibility, just like in 2-whistle.

So while the primary areas of responsibility are different and take some time to learn, the basic premise of the 3-whistle system is to get the Lead on the same side as the ball as much as possible and have the other official(s) referee the outside stuff. Pretty much like 2-whistle.

I agree with everybody else who said that the best way to get comfortable with it is to work it. Good luck. Just remember to officiate, and you'll be fine after a few games.

I also only have 3-whistle experience from camps, but I can tell you what helped me learn it faster. Work, then watch, then work, then watch. and when you watch, ONLY watch one person. Don't watch the whole floor. Watch one person and see what his primary is, then watch when he rotates, when he doesn't, and when he calls out of his area. Then work a game, then watch. Then work, then watch. Also try to work as little 2-whistle as possible during that stretch of time.

Big,

Take Candyland.. much easier to play (for us officials) and it doesn't take as long! :D

Yup, I was lucky enough to have two good partners my first night of 3-man, certainly helped. After I got comfortable with the areas and everything, I was able to work on the first part of Tom's post and knowing when to rotate as L. Good stuff Tom!